


Get Out Alive ~ Levi x OC

by OrganizedChaos666



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Anime, F/M, Original Character(s), Possible smut, Smut, Titans, aot - Freeform, attack on titan - Freeform, shingeki no kyojin - Freeform, yep theres smu
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-12
Updated: 2018-05-13
Packaged: 2018-12-01 04:16:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 18
Words: 21,251
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11478414
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OrganizedChaos666/pseuds/OrganizedChaos666
Summary: (Levi X OC)Skylar has been to and from the Underground and has enemies in both worlds. At first, the escape from the Underground seemed like a blessing. It was not long after that she discovered that her life above was just as sick and twisted as the one she had below.





	1. Savior

(Skylar's POV)

 

Mind you, I am well aware that a dark alley in the Underground is by far the worst place for a woman to be, however; my main priority was escaping the baker I had just stolen a loaf of bread from. The alley was not much darker than the rest of this horrid place, so my eyes adjusted quickly but not fast enough as it would seem.

A grunt echoed across the sides of the surrounding buildings as I ran into something -or should I say someone.

"Crap..." I muttered, glancing up at the person I just slammed into and backing up a few feet. 

He was about my height, with steel grey eyes and messy jet black hair. (A/n: I WONDER WHO GUYS)

"What the hell do you think you-"

The boy was cut off by shouts coming from near the entrance to the alley. I clutched the loaf of bread to my chest and turned my back toward him to face the men I knew would be coming through the alley any second.

"If you don't want to end up with the same fate as I have then I suggest you go," I warned, glancing back at the stoic boy before turning my attention towards the alley entrance once again.

As the large man I had stolen the bread from earlier rounded the corner, two arms wrapped themselves around my waist and I felt myself become weightless as I was violently jerked upwards. The boy who had been standing behind me was now gripping me tightly with one arm and attempting to use 3DMG with only his other hand. 

"This isn't working," he muttered as we crashed onto the roof of a nearby building.

"You think?" I hissed, still keeping my arms tightly wrapped around the bread.

"Tch," he rolled his eyes and glared at me.

The tile beneath my feet crunched and slid slightly as I struggled to my feet after being flung onto the roof when we landed. Both of my arms ached and blood was dripping from somewhere on my forehead across my vision, with each drop coming uncomfortably close to dropping into my left eye.

"If you want to escape those pigs I suggest you drop the bread and climb onto my back," he suggested, taking a step towards me with a hand reaching towards the loaf.

I hissed and pulled my jeweled dagger out of my belt with one hand, the other gripping the bread even tighter.

"I can hold on to you and the bread," I stated, putting the knife away as he took a step back.

As soon as I did so he was in front of me, glaring intensely with his own knife to my neck.

"Draw on me again and I will not hesitate," he spat, pressing the blade against my throat.

I kept my composure and stood silently, ready to fight the man who was probably my only escape. If I was to kill him however, I could always just take the gear and leave. I was out of practice with it but I had some when I was younger and able to use my innocent looks to my advantage. The boy's glare became more menacing by the second as I sent it directly back at him. 

"Look-" he started, tearing his gaze from mine.

Instantly, I smacked him as hard as I could with the loaf of bread as a distraction and knocked his blade out of his hand.

"I don't appreciate a knife at my throat."

"I don't enjoy being assaulted with bread."

Sighing, I leaned down and grabbed the knife before handing it back to the man and leaping onto his back before he could decide to leave me behind. Yes, the bread was still in a vice grip. As he leapt off the edge of the building, the feeling of weightlessness returned. Swinging between buildings was beginning to make me sick as we arrived at whatever destination he chose. I guessed he would not bring me to the place he lived as a safety precaution. No one could be trusted in the Underworld. What I was not yet aware of, is that those above are no more worthy of trust than those below the surface.


	2. Unexpected Freedom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Skylar has had enough of the cruelty and makes an attempt to reach the surface.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comment your thoughts. Mind you, this is before Levi was able to fight really well as you may have discovered when he was beaten last chapter due to bread.

(Skylar's POV)

It had been a month since I had seen Levi, the boy who saved my life. Not that I would ever admit that. I was a skilled fighter but famine and the lack of sunlight had depleted my strength to the point that i could no longer fight off those who tried to attack me. I could not bare to think I had become so reliant on the short boy in the short few weeks we had known each other. That was the reason I was standing at the stairs to the world above, about to make an attempt at freedom. As much as I missed the days I spent with the annoying clean freak, this had to be done. I had to at least try.

"I won't survive much longer down here," I reminded myself, trying to shake away the thoughts of Levi and focus on the task at hand.

I knew the guards would be changing shortly based off of the knowledge I had gathered over the course of the past month. I had no plan other than run out when the guards were changing. Not the smartest plan but I was desperate. Even if I get dragged straight back down here, at least I will have been reminded what the outside world looks like.

"Oi! Let's go," I heard one of the guards tell his companion.

I was almost certain I would end up like all of the men and women I had seen make a break for the exit only to be brought back moments later.

"It would seem that I have become just as insane as them," I sighed, rounding the corner and climbing up the stairs as silently as I could.

As I was about to reach the top few steps, I was brought to the ground. I had not yet been able to see over the top of the staircase.

"Skylar," my attacker whispered.

Grunting, I turned my body around on the steps to see Levi standing over me as he held me against the steps.

"I never took you as stupid enough to attempt to waltz out of the Underground," he said.

I stayed silent and shook my head at him. He did not understand. I needed to see the sun. I had to get out before I drove myself mad down here.

"Let go," I whispered as the wheels of a carriage could be heard at the stairwell entrance above.

I felt his grip on my arms stiffen.

"Levi. Let me go," I spat, trying to wiggle my way out of his grip by violently squirming.

He stood as if he was made of stone. My chance of escaping was being taken from me by this boy I hardly knew.

"Hey!" a voice rang out from the top of the stairs.

This was it. My window of time had slammed shut, leaving me in this hellhole.

"No..." I murmured, letting my body go limp as Levi released me to draw his knife on the man who headed down the steps. The tall brunette seemed unfazed by the weapon and simply continued towards us.

"Skylar. Run," he commanded monotonously.

I tried to move. I truly did but my body refused to allow me to do so much as blink. Levi glanced back and forth between me and the man, who had stopped in his tracks.

"Hey boss. We might have just found what we came here for," the man yelled before charging Levi, a knife of his own now in his hand.

I leapt to my feet at the sight and ran towards the two men as Levi turned to focus on the newcomer. Levi's eyes were forced into small slits as the man stepped aside, allowing the sunlight to impair his vision. Instantly, the brunette brought Levi to the ground.

"No!" I yelped as Levi's head was slammed against the top of steps.

I reached the top of the steps and closed my eyes while knocking the man off of Levi, allowing the rest of my senses to take over as I knew the moment my eyes opened I would be distracted and defeated the same way Levi was. The sound of a blade cutting through the air came from my left, making me duck. I felt the displacement of air above my head as the brunette's arm swung over me with the knife.

"Michael. That is what we came for so stop trying to kill her," a raspy voice came from straight ahead.

Instinctively, I charged at the origin of the voice only to be stopped in my tracks by the sound of Levi gasping. My eyes opened in panic and I was blinded by the light, only able to see the silhouette of a man outside. Hissing, I turned my body to face where Levi was. The brunette who I assumed was Michael had his knife held against my savior's neck. Anger coursed through my body as Michael slammed his head against the stair again, causing a drop of blood to drip down the blade and onto the top of the stair. Levi's blood.

The brunette grinned as I got back on my feet and stumbled towards them, only for the man with the raspy voice to grab my arm.

"Skylar isn't it? Congratulations. We have received the order to grant you citizenship," the man stated.

Levi groaned in pain as the knife was pulled away from his neck.

"I'll make this simple for you: come with us or we kill this Underground Rat," Michael spat.

This was part of the plan anyways wasn't it? I was going to return to the world above for a short time. This was just, a more permanent solution. Besides, I could not let the man who saved me die on my watch.

"Done. Now tell your pet to back off," I said to the older man, not daring to turn back around and face the sunlight.

This earned a scowl from Michael as the man chuckled.

"You heard her Michael."

The brunette spat on the ground next to Levi's head before stalking past me. I prepared a sickly sweet smile before spinning on my heel and facing the blinding light.

"Skylar," Levi coughed, causing me to glance back at his fallen figure.

He was reaching towards me with one arm and his eyes were glossed over, but I knew he would be alright. He has survived much worse.

"I don't want to leave for good, but I hope this makes us even."

I gave him a soft smile before turning around and walking towards the carriage. A warm tear escaped my eye, only to be wiped away as I climbed into the carriage behind the older man.

"Where will you take me?" I questioned, my voice barely louder than a whisper.

"Shiganshina. You have been gifted a small amount of money to get started but it won't last long. You'll need to find a job and a place to stay."

I nodded and was silent once more. My head rested on the side of the carriage and my eyes traveled to the scenery. The houses here were much larger and less run down than those beneath the surface. My dream was coming true. If only it could be shared with my stoic friend. Little did I know, I was only being moved from one hell to another.


	3. My New Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Skylar is taken in by a familiar family.

(Skylar's POV)

My heavy legs only allowed me to trudge down the busy streets of Shiganshina. I surely looked like a wreck with my tattered clothes and dirty face. It had only been a week and my money had nearly been completely spent on food. It seemed as though I was simply moved from the streets of the Underground to those of the surface. The life was similar, however; the sunlight was finally becoming normal to me. My eyes were very grateful. Despite the fact that my lifestyle had not changed, my body had become slightly stronger due to the light.

"Damn old man couldn't give me enough money to last more than a week," I spat, staring at the ground as I walked to keep from tripping.

Despite my attempt, my left foot dragged on the ground too low which sent my body crashing into a wall. Well, I had hoped it was a wall.

"Ouch!"

The wall and I toppled to the ground.

"Sorry," I rasped, my voice cracking due to dehydration.

The wall said nothing as I shakily rose to my feet and backed away. It was then that I took a long look at the wall-person. IT was a tall man with straight dark hair that was split down the middle. The sunlight reflected on his glasses shielded his eyes from view. His face was somewhat plain, with a very light beard and mustache. At first sight he could only be described as a gentleman.

"You alright Miss?" he asked, standing beside me while rubbing his head.

His grey eyes pierced my brown ones as he took a step closer.

"My name is Grisha Jaeger," he said, holding out his hand.

I stared at his hand for a moment before reaching out and taking it in my own.

"Skylar," I replied.

I did not leave my last name out in an attempt to be rude. In truth, I have never known what it is. I had lived in the Underground almost my entire life and had little memory of the world above.

After our hands disconnected, I began continuing my trudge down the road.

"Where are you off to?" he called out, jogging up beside me.

I stopped dead in my tracks for a moment before laughing and shaking my head.

"I have no idea. Hopefully to shelter."

"Well if you're looking for a place to stay then I suggest you head this way," Grisha advised, gesturing down a street that crossed the one we were currently on.

"And why is that?" I questioned.

"You could stay with my family and I. As long as when you are fit and able you work to earn your keep there should be no problems. Although you'd have to be alright with children as my son is still just a baby."

His kindness was strange. It made him quite different than others. Different could mean dangerous, however; I could not survive much longer out here alone. The high concentration of Garrison troops made it impossible to steal what I needed.

"Why would you invite a stranger into your home," I questioned, "it is quite possible that I am dangerous."

"Not in the state you are in. I think you would nearly pass out trying to swat a fly," he chuckled.

I nodded silently. He wasn't wrong. Surviving had been much easier in the Underground. Grisha reached out and took a loose hold of my arm, which resulted in me immediately twisting my arm out of his grip and backing up a step.

"Sorry. Instincts," was all I said.

He simply smiled and put his hands in the air in a 'surrender' position before gesturing for me to follow him as he turned and headed down the street. On the way to his home he bought a loaf of fresh bread and handed it to me, which caused a large grin to spread across my face. When we reached his house, Grisha knocked on the door once before entering.

"Carla! I'm back," he called out, causing a woman with long black hair and brown eyes to enter the room.

Her hair was tied off to the side, with only a few loose hairs left around her ears and forehead. She was dressed in a cream sweater with ruffled sleeves and had a white apron over her long red skirt and tan boots.

"Who is this?" she asked, smiling sweetly.

"Her name is Skylar. She does not have a place to stay and as you can tell she is starving. With your permission I'd like to allow her to stay here, at least for a while, and when she is strong enough she can work to earn her stay. Maybe as a maid of sorts or a babysitter for Eren when he is a bit older."

I kept my face blank and held my breath as I waited for her response.

"Of course!" she announced, grabbing my arm and dragging me into another room before I could escape her grip.

"I'll prepare a hot bath for you in a moment. First I'd like you to meet our son, Eren."

Carla left the room for a moment, allowing me to glance around the room. In the middle was a medium sized bed, big enough for two grown people but not much more. To the left of the bed was a small crib and there was an average sized dresser off to the side of the room. A nightstand with a few large candles sat directly next to the bed.

It wasn't long before Carla returned, carrying a blanket-wrapped bundle in her arms.

"This is Eren," she said, smiling down at the baby.

He had bright green eyes and a small patch of brown hair on the top of his head. As soon as he saw me, he lifted his arms out towards me and giggled. The movement brought a small, nearly unnoticeable smile to my face as the baby and I made eye contact.

"He likes you!" Carla said excitedly.

We stood for a few more seconds before she laid him down in his crib.

"Now. It's about time you took a bath!"

I laughed slightly.

"Is that your way of informing me that I smell?"

"Most definitely," Carla smiled, before breaking out in contagious laughter.

We both held our stomachs laughing together for a few minutes before she left the room to ready a bath. I had the feeling that we would be good friends, despite her being years older than me. As comfortable as this seemed, The amount of trust they put in me made me slightly nervous and suspicious. People on the streets are constantly passed up by people just like this, so what made them different?


	4. Choice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Skylar's citizenship has been revoked.

My life with the Jaeger family felt like a dream. Although I had never been hopeful enough to dream of something this wonderful. During my time here, Eren had grown and I had taken to cleaning the house as well as taking care of him. Carla was usually the one to cook seeing as I could barely turn on the stove without nearly burning down the entire house. Her food was amazing but I stayed away from most of the meat because one day after eating it I became ill. Grisha had given me medicine to help with the fever but it was apparently one of his own creations and it required me to be stabbed with a big needle. Never again.

 

A young girl named Mikasa had also joined the household. Memories of the day she arrived still play through my head. Despite putting up brave fronts, both Eren and Mikasa had been damaged when they killed the men who held her captive. 

 

(Flashback)

 

I was nearly asleep after hours of battling my thoughts when the door to my room swung open. 

 

"Whoever you are I hope you have a good reason for this shit," I hissed, shooting up in bed.

 

"I'm sorry," a small voice whispered sadly, causing my heart to nearly break.

Standing in the doorway was Eren, shaking with tears streaking down his tan face.

 

"Come here," I smiled at him.

 

The young boy shuffled over before plopping onto the bed next to me. His tears had stopped but his face was still slightly pink from crying. 

 

"Eren, what's wrong baby?" I asked lightly.

 

"I killed them."

 

He gripped the front of my shirt tightly in his balled up fists as his fierce gaze met my own. Despite being a child, his eyes were full of pure ferocity. I brought one hand to stroke his back and pull him towards me. His small form curled into my side as we laid on the bed. As soon as his face met my shoulder, it was soaked in hot tears. His body wracked with small but quiet sobs.

 

"Eren, you are so brave. You saved Mikasa and you saved yourself. I wish you never had to but I am proud that you found the strength to keep yourself and her alive."

 

He nodded in response and the sobs became less frequent as I lightly rubbed his back. It wasn't long before soft snores echoed through the room. I smiled down at his sleeping form as the door opened once again. 

"Shh," I whispered.

 

This time it was Carla. She noticed Eren immediately and smiled before leaving. I did not sleep that night, as it was the first time I truly considered enlisting in the military. 

 

(Flashback Over)

 

Sadly, I was forced awake from this dream by a tall man in a green uniform arriving at our door. Grisha was the one who opened it, revealing a blonde man with blue eyes and huge eyebrows. Carla, the kids, and I were sitting at the table eating breakfast.

 

"I am here to speak with Skylar," the man said curtly

 

"I'm afraid there is no one here by that name sir," Grisha challenged, a glint in his eye.

 

"My name is Erwin Smith. I am a member of the Survey Corps and I highly recommend you allow me to speak with her or the Military Police will be by to arrest her shortly. She will then be returned to the Underground where she will rot."

 

I would not be returned to that hell. I brought one last spoonful of porridge into my mouth before standing and pushing in my chair.

 

"Grisha. If what he says is true, then I don't have a choice," I sighed.

 

He nodded his head in understanding before stepping aside, allowing Erwin to enter. I stood my ground as the man approached, towering over me.

 

"Hey!" Eren's small voice rang out as he leapt between Erwin and I, kicking the blonde man in the leg and shoving me back.

 

"Eren!" Carla yelled, reaching out to pull him away.

 

Eren dodged her hand and glared up at Erwin who was smiling in amusement.

 

"No one's allowed to take Sky back to that place!" the boy commanded

 

"That's what I can help her avoid," Erwin informed.

 

I knelt down beside Eren and pulled him into a warm embrace.

 

"Eren. I'll be alright kiddo don't worry."

 

"Promise?" he sniffled, his green eyes full of hope.

 

"I promise. Now stay here with your mom I'll be right back."

 

I ruffled his hair before giving him a light push towards Carla and walking out the door. 

 

"Why outside," Erwin questioned as soon as he joined me.

 

"My family doesn't need to hear whatever it is you need me to do."

 

He nodded in agreement before holding his hand out in greeting.

 

"My name's Erwin Smith."

 

I stared at his outstretched hand with disdain before shaking it.

 

"I'm aware. And as you are aware, I am Skylar."

 

A faint smile crossed his face before being replaced my a blank stare. He shifted beck and forth for a moment before letting out a sigh

 

"As you heard, you are to be arrested later today as the people who released you and gave you citizenship had enemies. Your citizenship has been revoked and the man who ordered for your release has disappeared."

 

"So basically I'm screwed," I said, rolling my eyes.

 

"Not quite. I have made a deal that involves you joining the Survey Corps. If you do so, your citizenship will remain valid."

 

My breath caught in my throat as the realization hit me like a brick wall.

 

"Either way I will have to leave them?" I questioned, glancing through the still open door and locking eyes with Eren.

"I'm sorry. If you were to join the Corps you could visit for however long you manage to survive," he informed, his words breaking my gaze from Eren and turning it back to him.

 

"That's reassuring," I spat.

 

"I won't lie to you. It is a dangerous job and there are many who don't make it back to their families. You'll be offering up your life for humanity. However, in fighting with us you can create a better world for that boy."

 

I imagined Eren standing over my gravestone, tears streaming down his face as he says his last goodbyes. Then I was graced with an image of a world without titans. Where Eren was able to leave the walls and explore the outside world. I could help create that for him and for myself. 

 

"Then I suppose I'll just have to survive. I won't return to the Underground," I decided.

 

"I was hoping you'd say that. Will you offer up your heart?," Erwin asked, putting his hand over his heart in a salute.

 

I met his fierce gaze with my own and returned the salute with pride, pushing back the sadness of leaving my newfound family.

 

"Yes sir!"

 

"Welcome to the Survey Corps."


	5. Departure and Arrival

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Skylar is introduced to the Survey Corps and is reunited with an old friend.

(Skylar's POV)

 

 

Parting with the Jaeger family was agonizing. My body had felt as though it consisted of lead as I walked back into the home that I would no longer be sharing with the wonderful people I had met. When I informed them of my inevitable departure, Eren had clung to my leg and buried his face into it as he let out cries of anguish. Mikasa had shifted her gaze to mine, allowing a tear to escape her stormy eyes and slide down her porcelain cheek. 

 

"I'll visit as often as I can," I had promised as I knelt down to Eren's level before pulling him and Mikasa into a reassuring hug.

 

Tears had threatened to break free of their confines as I glanced up at Carla and Grisha, both of whom looked back with teary eyes. However, I would not break in front of the children I had grown so close to. 

 

"Please don't go," Eren pleaded.

 

"I will kill all of the titans and return to you. You are my family and I will always be back for you."

 

Those were the last words that were spoken before I hugged Grisha and Carla and packed my belongings. The familiar smell of the home filled my nostrils a final time as I headed to the door.

 

"Wait"

 

Eren's small voice had stopped me in my tracks as he ran to me with a dark blue scarf in his arms. I knelt when he reached me, my hand in a fist over my heart as I saluted. 

 

"So you'll never be cold."

 

The young boy had wrapped the scarf around my neck before standing tall and returning my salute.

To think, that was only a few days ago. Since then, I have begun my training under Commander Erwin. Unlike most Cadets, I was not put through the same military training. Instead, Erwin decided to train me himself in order to discover what talents I already possessed. Tonight was the only break I would get from the rigorous exercise, as my introduction to the rest of the Corps would take place and I would be given time to meet the members.

 

No words were spoken as I walked out of the building I had been staying in and faced the small crowd of soldiers, immediately bringing my fist over my heart in a salute. I forced my lips to contort into a small, yet welcoming smile as I scanned the group. There were few who did not return my smile, as though it was contagious. As I ran my eyes over the crowd of faces, they met with familiar grey ones.

 

"Levi," I mumbled as his eyes widened in shock.

 

"This is our new recruit, Skylar. She is skilled and will be a fine soldier."

 

"Damn right she's fine," a man called from the crowd.

 

I glanced towards the voice and locked eyes with the man standing a few feet from Levi. He was very tan with short, light brown hair covering his head. His eyes were hazel and full of an emotion I had seen too many times on the faces of men in the underworld: lust.

 

"First day and there's a perv after me," I whispered, humming quietly as Erwin laughed at the words only he could hear.

 

A grunt of pain was heard, causing both of our smiles to drop as we turned to face the crowd. I found that the man was on the ground, clutching his stomach as Levi stood above him boredly.

 

"Alright everyone, I will need to speak with Skylar alone. Levi, stay here," Erwin ordered.

 

The crowd dispersed nearly immediately, with a few waving at me silently before heading to their rooms. Levi followed Erwin and I behind the building where we would not be seen or heard.

 

"Erwin. She will not join the Survey Corps," Levi said monotonously, his cold voice slicing through the silence.

 

"That is not your decision to make," I stated, causing the man to turn towards me.

 

"It's a death sentence," he replied.

"You're here," I shot back.

 

"Skylar has no choice unless she wishes to be returned to the Underground," Erwin interjected.

 

"Is that a threat?!" Levi yelled, surprising both of us.

 

"Not one made by me. I had to pull a few strings with members of the military police. She was to be arrested and dragged from her family unless she joined the Corps."

 

Levi stayed silent for a moment, his eyes holding an inundation of anger. 

 

"I will talk to you both in the morning. For now I would like her to stay in your barracks if you both are willing." Erwin said, looking between both of us.

 

I glanced at Levi for his answer, only to be given a curt nod. I nodded as well and Erwin disappeared into the building.

 

"So. You found your family?" Levi questioned.

 

"I found a new one," I smiled.

 

His head tilted in a slight nod.

 

"How long have you been here Levi?"

 

"I was hired a few months after you left. My friends and I were supposed to kill Erwin and bring them a certain document in return for citizenship. In the end I was informed (during my first expedition) that Erwin already knew of their crimes and the document had already been handed to the government. The mission turned out to be pointless yet I chose to stay. I'm surprised the commander let me stay."

 

"I think that's the most you have ever said to me," I said, giggling slightly.

 

"Tch."

 

"And here you go again."

 

I leaned against the building and glanced up at the stars. The sound of the fall of a foot and a small thud informed me that Levi had joined me.

 

"I'd like to meet your friends," I said.

 

A sharp intake of breath was all I needed to hear to tell me that I had made a mistake. My eyes cautiously met those of Levi as a shiver made its way up my spine.

 

"They did not survive the first expedition," he responded coldly.

 

His eyes were as harsh as they had always been, if not more. He had changed since I had seen him last. His demeanor was dull and somber, as would be expected from someone who had lost everyone they cared about.

 

"I'm sorry. That is truly terrible and I wish there was a way I could have been of some use," I said finally.

 

The man rolled his eyes and grunted softly. Despite the lack of words, the guilt was easy to find in his steel eyes.

 

"It wasn't your fault," I stated.

 

"You've changed."

 

"How so?"

 

"You seem very happy. What did you find up here, above that hellhole?"

 

"I told you, a family. A man took me in and took care of me until I was strong enough to pay him back-"

 

"So you were someone's toy?"

 

"Levi," I groaned, "he had a beautiful wife and an adorable little boy. The payment was simple chores you idiot."

 

"Tch."

 

Levi pushed himself off of the wall and headed for the barracks, leaving me to follow behind silently.


	6. Training

I had only been in the Survey Corps for a week and was already regretting my decision. The training was easy enough, as I had known how to use the gear for years now and had become more fit since arriving from the Underground. From all the time I spent wasting away down there, the effects of the sun on my body had long since been forgotten. Now, the sun made me stronger and gave my body more energy than I had ever had before.

 

Despite the easy training, I was soon to go on my first expedition. My heart longed for my family as I strode by the stables for what seemed to be the tenth time that day. We were setting out for the journey tomorrow. The goal was to investigate old ruins that had been spotted on a past expedition. I was to be in a squad with Hanji and a few other members who I was not familiar with.

 

"Skylar," Levi's voice called out.

 

The raven haired man was leaned against the wall of the stables, his arms crossed and his eyes piercing through me. 

 

"Hi Levi!" I smiled, suppressing a groan at the interruption of my peace.

 

What I had noticed in the Corps was a lack of life. The members seemed lifeless and dull, as though they had accepted their fate as titan food. During my time here, I was determined to change their attitudes or at least keep mine cheerful. The hope was that it would rub off on them. Perhaps they would be reminded of joy before we all died. I refused to die as a miserable, cold-hearted wreck.

 

"What are you smiling for?" 

 

Speaking of which.

 

"I figure no one else does it around here. If we're all going to die anyways what's the point of moping about and spending the last bit of our lives in misery," I responded.

 

"You will live." He stated, finality in his voice.

 

Levi pushed himself off of the wall and headed back towards the barracks, leaving me to continue my walk.

 

"By the way, Erwin wishes to speak to you," he called over his shoulder.

 

"So stoic," I murmured, spinning on my heel and walking towards the building Erwin stayed in with the other higher ups.

 

Although his coldness was understandable, I often found myself missing the young man I met in the Underground. During my walk to meet the commander, images of Levi plagued my mind. Soon I found myself at the door to Erwin's office. My hand reached up to knock against the wood twice.

 

"Name?"

 

"Skylar. Levi informed me that you wished to discuss something?"

 

"Come in."

 

The door creaked and groaned as it swung open, the ungodly noises echoing down the hall. My legs felt like lead as I moved to stand in front of the commander, who sat at his desk and shuffled through paperwork. His eyebrows furrowed as his blue eyes moved up to meet mine.

 

"You will be joining Mike's Squad for the expedition tomorrow."

 

I raised a brow in question but knew better than to verbally question the commander.

 

"It was not by my choosing. Levi has been storming in here for the past week and demanding you be moved to the squad he will be in. I've never seen so much emotion from him, so I agreed. You can ask Levi to introduce you to the squad whenever you wish. Dismissed."

I nodded stiffly and began my walk back to the stables. My jaw dropped as soon as I was out of sight. Curiosity fueled me as my legs brought me back to my previous location. Unfortunately, the stables was now crowded as five men attempted to wrestle a new horse into a stall. The animal's screams could probably be heard from any building on the premises as it fought off the men. It was a beautiful brown and white stallion, although the brown was almost red. It's body shape was different than the usual horses around and it seemed to be better suited as a riding horse than one to pull carts.

 

The horse reared and struck out as the men drove it into a corner. Its wide brown eyes locked with mine as they got closer. The poor beast was terrified.

 

"What the hell is going on here?" Erwin asked, emerging from the building as Levi appeared at his side.

 

"Wild horse. He's no good. I don't know how a beast like this managed to get sent here but it came with the rest of the new ones," one of the men replied.

 

"Must have been a mistake. Quite beautiful though," Erwin commented.

 

The horse took advantage of the mens' distraction and snorted before bowling over three of them and charging towards me. The stallion's head and tail were both held high as he approached. 

 

"Not today," I muttered.

 

I would not be taken out by a horse.

 

"Easy boy," I said calmly, standing my ground as the horse got closer.

 

The sound of hooves hitting the grass slowed before stopping completely. The stallion had stopped with his head merely inches away from me, his hot breath hitting my face.

 

Levi and Erwin began to approach, only to be halted by a glare from me and a warning kick from the stallion.

 

"He's only frightened. Although he could do with some lessons in respect," I laughed, lightly pushing the horse's head out of my face.

 

"Could I attempt a quick exercise with him before you decide to send him off or kill him?" I questioned, looking over at Erwin.

 

The commander nodded with a slight smile. Levi did not look as amused. A scowl was plastered on his face.

 

"Skylar. Step away from it," he ordered.

 

I let out a slight laugh and shook my head, turning my back on the stallion and walking into the arena. When I turned, the stallion trotted in behind me and I motioned for Levi to lock the gate.

 

"Out," I said firmly, pointing to the rail and taking a step towards the horse.

 

He shook his head and snorted, his tangled black mane flowing in the breeze. I took another step towards him and he reluctantly left the center of the arena and began to trot around, sticking close to the rail. It had been a few years since I had done a join up with a horse, let alone one I did not know. The nerves crept into my mind as I continued to face the horse as it moved around me. 

Sensing my confidence drop, the stallion turned its' head in and considered charging.

 

"Out." I said calmly, pushing back all of the nerves.

 

At that, the stallion continued to trot on the rail for another two laps before lowering his head to the ground and licking his lips. I smiled and turned my back on him, allowing him to stop trotting. The stallion's breathing could be heard a few feet behind me. Confidently, I strode forward and glanced back to see the horse following me with his head still low.

 

"Good boy," I yelped cheerily, reaching out and petting his face gently.  
"What the hell was that?" Levi asked, seeming annoyed that I had disobeyed him.

 

"A join up. It builds respect and is especially good for young horses. It's the same as when a horse pisses off the herd leader in the wild. The leader will drive them out of the herd and keep them out until they lower their head and lick their lips in submission. Then, the leader turns their back and allows them to come back to the herd."  
Assuming the information had flown over their heads, I quietly led the horse into a nearby stall and snuck him a carrot. It was only on my way back to Erwin that I realized I had attracted a crowd of soldiers. The men who had been fighting the horse earlier stood in awe.

 

"He probably won't be good for pulling carts, but he is built to run much faster with better endurance than the rest of the horses we have here. I recommend you choose to keep him, Commander," I said calmly.

 

"He will stay but since you are vouching for him, he will be your mount," Erwin stated, waving a hand to disperse the crowd as he went to return to his room.

 

"What's its' name?" a cold voice questioned from behind me.

 

I whirled around to face a very bored looking Levi.

 

"Tempest," I smiled at him.

 

The man rolled his eyes in response, eliciting a sigh from me.

 

"What are you whining about, brat?"

 

"I'm hoping one day you might actually return my smile Levi. I have missed you so much and you hardly talk to me anymore." I responded honestly, letting the false smile drop.

 

The mans' eyes widened in what seemed like shock for a millisecond before his expression went cold once more.

 

"You are the one who left," he hissed, turning on his heel and leaving me standing in the middle of the empty training field.


	7. Storms

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YES this chapter is slightly based off of my one-shot. I like the idea. Sue me.

It had been hours since Levi and I had spoken, but the pain from his words was still fresh. The worst part was that he was right. I left him to suffer in the Underground while I made it to the surface, where my life was changed for the better. All the while he was still stealing to survive, and even joined the Survey Corps. He could have died and I never would have known as I played hide and seek with Eren. The rain falling from the overhanging clouds was enough to finally head inside, where I decided to talk to Levi as my friend, instead of my superior. Hopefully I would not be sent on infinite laps for it, but I had to clear things up with him. My boots padded against the hard ground lightly and my damp scarf swayed as I approached his door with caution.

 

"He's your friend," I reassured myself, knocking on the door twice.

 

There was only silence, so i knocked once more.

 

"Levi? Corporal may I come in?" I asked.

 

He gave no response. Fear for his life overcame the fear of punishment as I took a deep breath and pushed the door open, revealing the corporal sitting on his bed and facing the wall. He was muttering the names Isabel and Farlan under his breath.

 

"Levil?" I questioned gently.

 

"Get out," he rasped as a slight tremor ran up his spine.

 

I gasped slightly at the sound of pain in his voice, ignoring and excusing his rudeness. Instead of following his order, I walked towards him slowly.

 

"Levi," I repeated.

 

The closeness of my voice caused his head to jerk around, revealing his pained expression. A clap of thunder nearly sent him tumbling off the bed, but I lunged forward to steady him. He shoved my hand away and leaned against the wall, breathing heavily.

 

"Levi, please tell me what's wrong," I pleaded, holding his gaze with my own.

 

"They're dead."

 

"Who-"

 

"And you'll be next," he interrupted frantically, trying to revert back to his stoic self.

 

"Who is dead Levi?" I asked softly.

 

"Isabel and Farlan," he choked out.

 

"It's all my fault. Humanities' Strongest can't even protect his own friends in a thunderstorm. Tch. How pathetic."

 

"Levi unless you killed them yourself, it is not your fault."

 

"It's my fault we were out there in the first place! If I had gotten the documents from Erwin sooner we never would've had to go on that blasted expedition. I could've made them stay behind at the very least. I never should've left them in the rain with that damn squad leader!" The corporal now had a mad glint in his eye that was quickly replaced by sadness and terror as another thunderclap sounded.

 

"You could not have known the weather would turn or that the titans would be headed for your friends. If it was possible for you to get what you needed from Erwin any sooner, you would have." I reassured, taking a seat next to him on the mattress.

 

I looked over his shaking form with sorrow, wishing there were words that could numb the pain of loss.

 

"Sometimes things just happen. Life is not something that can or should be controlled," I added, holding my arms out ever so slightly.

 

"I can't keep you safe. I cannot even keep my emotions in check in the face of a damn storm!" he raged, a single tear escaping his steel eye.

 

"I do not need to be protected. Do not waste your tears on me, for if I die it will be a death that was meaningful."

 

"I don't care. I can't lose you," he whispered, hanging his head in slight shame.

 

"You won't," I reassured, finally deciding to wrap my arms around and embrace the corporal who stiffened at the contact.

 

"Levi?" I asked as he relaxed at my touch.

 

"Hm?"

 

"When's the last time you slept?"

 

Silence was his only response, proving my theory that the man was exhausted.

 

"Sleep," I ordered

 

"I'm the corporal, brat," he grumbled, his voice muffled as he buried his face in the crook of my neck.

 

"Yes. A very tired corporal. Please sleep Levi. I do not need to be carrying you throughout the expedition when you pass out."

 

He only groaned in response. I let out a small laugh and released him from my hold, causing him to grumble in displeasure.

 

"I doubt you want my muddy boots on your bed Corporal," I teased, pulling off my boots and laying down on his bed.

 

"Lay with me?" I asked.

 

He nodded slightly and laid down beside me. I wrapped an arm around him gently and kissed his cheek as his eyes fell shut, suddenly being reminded of Eren. My thoughts were interrupted as Levi wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me flush against him, burying his face in the crook of my neck once more.

 

"Ok maybe not like Eren," I mumbled quietly.

 

"Eren?" Levi questioned accusingly, pushing away from me violently.

 

"For fucks sake!" I shouted, nearly falling off the bed.

 

"Who the hell is Eren?" he demanded.

 

"For the sake of all that is holy, calm down. He was the son of the family that took me in, a very small child. He would have terrible nightmares and come into my room at night. I would comfort him until he fell asleep," I explained.

 

Levi looked unconvinced.

 

"He was a kid!" I exclaimed, cuddling back up against the corporal.

 

Luckily we were around the height which made it easier to lay with him. He grumbled slightly but wrapped his arm around me once more. I could practically hear his smirk as he pulled my body up against his own, making me gasp lightly.

 

"Corporal. You are tired. Let's make sure you don't do anything you regret," I laughed, snuggling slightly closer into his warm chest.

 

He sighed but made no more advances and soon his breathing slowed, telling me he was asleep. I let out a small sigh of relief before falling into a deep slumber, happy to be able to spend time with my best friend again and knowing it could very well be the last chance I would have to do so.


	8. When Do Expeditions Ever Go Well?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anybody out there that can guess what breed Tempest is based off of? (Hint: It's a cross between two light breeds, and one is often gaited)

Luckily for me, Tempest was indeed broke to ride. Unfortunately, I was unable to have much practice riding him by the time we departed. The stallion almost immediately made an attempt to race ahead of the rest of the corps, causing Levi to shout indignantly. The shouting only fueled the stallion's excitement so I put my reins into one hand and raised a finger to my lips in warning to Levi. Tempest soon broke out into a fast trot-like gait that was fast enough to keep up with the other horses' gallop. His legs moved in a way that had us in a smooth gait, allowing me to sit comfortably. The first few hours of the ride were uneventful as we trotted along lazily, eventually breaking into a canter as his legs got tired. By the time we stopped at the lake for a break, the other horses and most riders were exhausted and out of breath.

 

Meanwhile, I still had a hot-headed and hyper stallion on my hands. I was not tired, as I was able to sit comfortably for most of the ride, but my legs felt stiff from holding the same position throughout the ride. Unlike the others, I chose to ride in a light saddle I had created that was better for endurance and allowed my mount to move more freely. Levi was already on the ground with his horse tied to a nearby post by the time Tempest stood for long enough to allow me to dismount.

 

I brought the reins over Tempest's head and led him to the water's edge for a drink. As he drank greedily, I took small sips of water from my flask. As soon as I sat down beside my mount, his head shot up.

 

"He's not the brightest," Levi commented as Tempest paced nervously.

 

I shrugged and stroked the horse's neck reassuringly as the rest of the corps prepared to set off again. The loud thumping of footsteps came from our left, sending the troops into a panicked frenzy as they attempted to mount their horses. Some had broken their ropes and ran, leaving their riders behind. One of which was Levi's dark mare. With a groan I swung onto Tempest and held out my hand to the corporal who took it and climbed up behind me. It was fortunate that we were both light and small, as Tempest was fast and light but not built to carry large amounts of weight.

 

"Run," Erwin yelled from his horse, waving his arms at us as we hesitated for a moment.

 

Obediently, I released the pressure of the reins on Tempest's mouth and allowed him to break out into a gallop in the opposite direction of the swarm of titans that broke through the treeline. At any other time, I would have felt awkward with Levi pressed up against me and his arms around my waist. Currently, the fear for my life was too prominent to feel anything other than slight terror. A lone titan peeked its head around the side of a small hill, causing me to grapple onto it and leap off of Tempest after handing the reins to a startled Corporal. 

 

"Sky!" Levi protested.

 

I rolled my eyes and drew my blades as the titan's gaping jaws approached me. With a quick redirection, I swung around to the titan's back and cut open the back of its neck neatly. Tempest circled nervously around the body as it fell, but waited for me to remount with no problem before taking off again. Eventually the stallion calmed down enough to break into a canter and turn back towards the location the scouts had been informed to meet at in case of emergency. The ride was silent other than the soft beat of Tempest's hooves against the rough earth. When we arrived at the slightly fortified base, the near darkness could not hide the fat that there were not many scouts. Erwin, Mike, Nanaba, and Hanji were among the few survivors. They numbered around twenty, which nearly filled the base entirely. 

 

"Commander," I saluted, nodding at Erwin. 

 

He gave a grim smile along with a salute in return before announcing that we would have to stay overnight. Instead of taking the room offered to me, I chose to sleep in the stables in the stall next to Tempest's. Unfortunately I could not relieve him of is saddle in case of emergency. If danger arose, the horse would surely be aware of it sooner than the rest of us and being close to him meant a quick escape. Shockingly, Levi soon entered the stall after me with a small supply of food and locked the stall door.

 

"Smart, but filthy," he noted distastefully.

 

"It seemingly has never been used, at least not in a long while. It's clean and either way, better dirty than dead," I responded, sitting down against the wall as Tempest stuck his head over the divider and watched us.

 

"Tch," was Levi's only response as he lowered down next to me and shoved a loaf of bread into my shaky hands.

 

I scooted close to the corporal and planted a soft kiss on his cheek before tearing into the bread ravenously. His gaze pierced through me like a blade but I refused to meet it even when I had finished the last of my bread. My attention was only drawn when a loud crunch was heard from his direction. My head shot up and I smiled, watching as Tempest gently nibbled an apple from Levi's hand. 

 

"Aww," I teased.

 

"He has better manners than you," he snorted.

I huffed, only to let out a giggle when Tempest sneezed on the corporal's hand. He wiped his hand on the horse's nose distastefully before wrapping an arm around my shivering shoulders. Despite my many questions, I kept them to myself and pulled Levi down to lay beside me and used one of my saddlebags as a pillow for the both of us. Tempest settled down in the stall beside us as I curled up against Levi's side, draping my leg over his gently. Moments before sleep overwhelmed me, he draped his cloak over me as a warm blanket and his low voice cut through the silence. 

 

"Goodnight brat."


	9. Reuinion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't want to ramble but thank you to all my readers, you guys are amazing! <3

I awoke to a shift in the body beside me and groaned when a voice pierced the cold air.

 

"It's time to return," Levi said softly.

 

My eyes opened lazily and I glanced up at the man sitting in front of me. A few strands of his hair stuck up oddly, obviously out of place and his eyes seemed to hold a hint of sorrow. As I pushed myself into a sitting position, the horror of the events that occurred only the day before finally hit me like a brick wall. Levi seemed to notice my sudden shift of emotions and his expression turned grim. 

 

"How many?" I asked quietly.

 

"I don't know yet."

 

I nodded stiffly and took a deep breath to ease my panic before moving closer to the corporal and pulling him into a frantic embrace. He froze for a moment but stroked my hair gently as I cried silently into his chest. No words were exchanged until we pulled apart and stood, slightly wary.

 

"I'm so glad you're safe Levi," I said earnestly.

 

He nodded and pulled me against him again, this time holding me like I was a lifeline for a moment before releasing me shakily. I planted a light kiss on his cheek and moved some of his stray hair back into place. With a small smile I turned on my heel and left the stall, grabbing the bridle for Tempest before entering the stall next to the one we slept in. Everyone had started to file out of the compound, all looking weary and most soaked in blood. Levi stood beside me protectively as everyone prepared to depart. Erwin gave some sort of speech but I merely stared blankly until it was time to leave. As Levi's horse had been lost, he shifted uncomfortably while everyone mounted or partnered up with someone who had a mount.

 

"Come on Levi. Don't be stupid, of course you can ride with me," I laughed, leading Tempest out of the dark stall and into the light. 

 

Levi nodded curtly and lifted me onto Tempest easily. Despite the scent of blood making him slightly anxious, the stallion stood still as the corporal mounted behind me. When everyone was ready to depart, Erwin gave a shout and began the heavy hearted ride home. Tempest broke into his fast, trotting gait excitedly as we rode. Levi had his arms wrapped around my waist loosely, but I could tell that he was tense as we traveled through titan infested land. He only relaxed when the walls came into view. 

 

"Back to the cage," I muttered under my breath before riding up beside Erwin.

 

Despite the solemn mood of everyone, the horses were eager to get home. Tempest was begging to speed up with every stride. 

 

"Since the path is clear, can we run ahead?" I asked.

 

Erwin eyed my anxious horse before surveying the land before us. After confirming that the clearing was void of any danger, he gave a sharp nod.

 

"Wait for us by the gate," he ordered.

 

"Can we?" I asked, turning to face Levi who nodded in approval before tightening his grip on me.

 

"Let's go home, " I said, pushing Tempest into a run with a slight squeeze.

 

His hooves beat the ground in a quick, four beat rhythm as we approached the wall at a terrifying speed. Tempest kept himself under control in an attempt to keep his two riders comfortably. Behind us the group had sped up, but it was barely noticeable compared to the speed we were currently going. A large grin was plastered on my face as the wind rushed against my face. I leaned forward and let out a joyful cheer to encourage our mount, forcing Levi lean over and press his body against mine. 

 

"Sky-"

 

His voice was lost in the wind as Tempest snorted and broke into a flat out racing gallop, bringing us to the gate in less than a minute. We slowed carefully and walked in circles while waiting for the corps in order to let the stallion to relax. Unfortunately, it gave me more time to process how many we had lost to the titans.

 

"The only way to give their lives meaning is to finish our mission, until we no longer have to lose people to those monsters," Levi stated monotonously, somehow sensing the drop in my mood.

 

I nodded and gave Tempest a light pat on the side of his neck and turned him to face the oncoming corps. All three of us were breathing slightly faster than usual after the run, but our breathing returned to normal by the time the rest of the corps arrived. As the gate opened, we rode next to Erwin and entered beside him. I gulped quietly and it luckily went unnoticed as the crowd gathered. The disapproval emanated off of them like a poisonous gas, bearing down upon the already disheartened soldiers. Defiantly, I looked up and looked around neutrally until my eyes fell upon a green-eyed boy with a mop of brown hair who was standing upon a box.

 

"Erwin?" I asked, gesturing at the grinning child who broke through the lines at a run.

 

"Go on," he nodded.

 

With permission given, I swung my leg forward over Tempest's neck and sat sideways for a moment. I gave Levi a small smile before handing him the reins and pushing off of the horse. He stopped and stood watch as the rest of the corps continued on their way. Eren had his arms wrapped around my legs the moment I touched the ground and Mikasa came jogging up behind. 

 

"I missed you," Eren said miserably, tears soaking my already slightly bloodstained shirt.

 

I escaped his grasp and kneeled to embrace Mikasa before holding them both to my chest protectively. Mikasa said nothing, simply gripped my arm as though her life depended on it. 

 

"I know," I whispered reassuringly, placing a hand on each on their backs.

 

"Visit soon?" Eren sniffled, wiping his eyes as he and Mikasa released their grip.

 

"Whenever I can," I promised, ruffling his hair playfully and giving Mikasa another quick hug as I stood.

 

"Tell Carla and Grisha I'm safe and I love them both ok?" I told the kids who nodded happily in response.

 

"I'll be going out on expeditions with you when I'm big!" Eren said excitedly, making me freeze momentarily.

 

"We'll see, soldier" I teased, kissing the top of both of their heads.

 

"Take care of each other. I love you guys," I said, forcing the sadness out of my tone as I gave them one last hug before turning and taking Levi's outstretched hand.

 

I was effortlessly pulled up behind him despite Tempest shifting slightly.

 

"Bye," I whispered, waving at my family before wrapping my arms around Levi who nudged Tempest forward carefully.

 

I rested my head on the corporal's shoulder, inhaling the scent of his cloak as we trotted leisurely through the next gate and towards the barracks.


	10. Humanites' Strongest

The corps had returned to the barracks after giving what was left of our comrades' bodies to their mourning families. The training schedule returned to normal in less than a week, but all of the members were no longer full of vigor. We were solemn and quiet throughout the competitions, a stark contrast of our previous competitive nature. I had spent most of my time training Tempest which allowed me to keep my mind occupied. Levi had been in his room for most of every day, only coming out for meals twice a day which he would quickly eat before returning. Hanji seemed to be the only member who was still positive and excited as she continued her strange experiments on anyone unfortunate enough to allow her. It was not long before I wanted to return to my family and visit with them once more.

 

When we sat down for dinner on a rather chilly night, I watched the captain's table closely. Steel grey eyes captured my gaze and held it throughout the meal, only to release me when Erwin spoke to him. Shaking off the enchantment, I ate the bread half heartedly and watched as the corporal pushed himself to his feet and headed out, leaving his meal uneaten. As I went to stand, Erwin's blue gaze locked onto mine. He gave me an understanding nod and gestured in the direction Levi had disappeared in. My arm crossed over my chest to rest my fist on my heart in a salute before I grabbed a loaf of bread and chased after the corporal.

 

"Corporal!" I shouted as I watched his small form disappear behind the door of his room.

 

My breathing was slightly labored as I approached the door, but steadied by the time I raised my fist to tap against it. The sound of approaching footsteps signaled his approach before he swung the door open.

 

"What do you want?" he snapped, making me step back.

 

His confrontational manner caused me to lower my gaze to the stone floor glumly as his glare diminished my confidence.

 

"Sorry Corporal, I noticed you did not finish your meal. Well, you haven't been lately so I thought-" my voice trailed off as I heard him take an aggravated breath. My own breathing slowed to a stop as I shrank under the Corporal's harsh gaze.

 

When a hand reached out and rested on my shoulder, I flinched and snapped my gaze up to meet Levi's. The man retracted his hand as though he had been burned and stepped back, his face now a blank slate.

 

"Thank you," he said, holding his hand out.

I shakily brought the bread to his hand before calming myself and smiling up at him. Before he could turn and close the door, I wrapped my arms around him loosely, burying my face in his chest. His body went rigid at first, but soon relaxed into the embrace before returning it. 

 

"Come in?" he offered, uncertainty laced in his tone.

 

I nodded and released him before following him into his room cautiously. The corporal sat tiredly on his bed and ate the bread quietly as I stood awkwardly.

 

"Are you ok?" I blurted, making the man glance up at me curiously.

 

"Why are you standing?" he questioned, never breaking eye contact.

 

I shrugged and kicked off my boots before sitting on the mattress beside him. The stoic corporal's gaze followed me the entire way as he continued to eat. The awkwardness of the situation made me shift uncomfortably.

 

"I'm sorry," he said under his breath as he placed the bread down and wrapped an arm around my waist.

 

My breathing quickened as a faint, nearly unnoticeable blush found its way onto Levi's face. His eyes held my own as he pulled me closer to him, watching closely for any reaction. My gaze soon escaped the corporal's and fixed upon his soft lips. I could not help but notice how his challenges in the Survey Corps had made his body more muscular than before, while still keeping its lithe shape. When I forced my gaze back upon his eyes, they had clouded with an indiscernible emotion, as most of his emotions were.

"Damn it," he groaned, leaning in and capturing my lips with his own.

 

Surprisingly, I responded almost immediately. Our lips moved together slowly, testing the waters. Despite his hesitance, it was not long before I felt his tongue flick out against my bottom lip. My body froze for a moment, causing the corporal to push me away and jump back as though he had been stung.   
"I'm sorry. You need to go," he said, softly at first but it had turned into an order by the end.

 

Unfortunately, I could not disobey an aggravated corporal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/n: Short chapter for tonight. Unfortunately, after losing his friends Levi isn't so ready for commitment.


	11. The Fall

It had been years since the incident with Levi left me cold and confused outside of his door, but the pain had not faded as he continued to distance himself from me. While I was still considered part of his squad, he spent most of his time alone and was closer to the other squad members. Fortunately, Tempest had shaped up quite nicely and was the most athletic of all of the Corps horses. Although unable to pull carts, he made up for it by being my personal mount and always alerting me of danger. Soon he would reach the peak of his strength where I planned to keep him as long as possible. One day as I sat in the grass beside the horse, he started pawing at the ground nervously in warning which I found confusing as we were inside of wall Rose. 

 

"Tempest?" I questioned as Levi walked by silently. 

 

Soon after, a loud booming sound shook the ground beneath our feet and a bright light flashed from the direction of Shiganshina.

 

"What?" I whispered in disbelief, leaping onto Tempest with only a rope wrapped loosely around his neck.

 

"Where are you going?" the corporal asked gruffly, stepping in front of my mount.

 

"Take a wild guess," I replied, rolling my eyes.

 

"You are just going to go riding off with no clue as to what that was?" he questioned.

 

"You have not spoken much more than a sentence to me in years and now you decide to talk? Don't pretend to be worried for my safety. I know you are curious too, you're welcome to come along," I chuckled, shrugging lightly as he stepped out of the way.

 

"Suit yourself," I muttered, only to be interrupted by him leading over a sturdy black stallion who was already tacked up.

 

I waited impatiently as he pulled himself into the saddle, taking off as soon as I saw that he was settled. 

 

"Eren," I muttered, urging Tempest into his gaited trot as we covered ground faster than the corporal's horse could gallop.

 

The world around us turned into a blur and I faintly heard protests from Levi as I leaned forward to ask Tempest for a flat run, determined to reach the Jaeger family. As we approached wall Maria, the smoke rising from behind it was not a promising site. Against the protests of the guards, I galloped through the gates and into Shiganshina, narrowly avoiding the sea of people who were running the opposite direction.

 

"EREN!" I screamed, reaching the bend his house stood beyond only to nearly ram into Hans who held Mikasa and Eren on his shoulders. 

 

"Carla?" I asked, pulling both children onto my terrified mount with Eren in front of me an Mikasa behind.

 

"Oh," I said quietly, eyeing the teary expression of the boy in front of me.

 

"Will you be alright?" I asked the soldier who nodded confidently, although the fear in his eyes was obvious.

 

I nodded in thanks and warned the kids to hold on before setting off at a terrifying speed in the direction I had come from. Knowing the boats used for the evacuation were likely nearly full, I passed under wall Maria where Levi was just arriving.

 

"We have to go," I yelled, feeling Mikasa's grip on my waist tighten as I held Eren against my chest.

 

The corporal nodded solemnly as we turned to see a huge titan that looked as though it was armored come crashing towards the closing gate.

 

"Run!" I shouted at Tempest in terror, making him take off at breakneck speed for the next wall. 

 

As we dodged the rubble of the destroyed gate, I realized Levi could be in danger and slowed down to ride beside him. The approach of titan's caused shivers down my spine as I stared helplessly at the corporal. 

 

"Go," he ordered. 

 

Although the Survey Corps horses were fast, I was unsure as to what would happen if the armored titan gave chase. With a quiet sob from Eren, my choice was made.

 

"Be careful. Live, for me," I choked out, sending the corporal a small smile as surprise momentarily crossed his features. 

 

"Hold on," I warned the children, asking Tempest to run for a final time.

 

"Please," I whispered to myself, my one armed grip on Eren tightening as anxiety seeped through my body at the thought of titans breaching the walls.

 

The horse stumbled tiredly when the wall came into view, legs faltering from the weight of three people for so long.

 

"Easy," I said calmly, patting his neck in reassurance as I waved for the guards to open the gate, my gear clanking against my sides heavily from the movement.

 

Once inside the gate, Tempest faltered once more before slowing to a walk with his head low to the ground. After picking up Mikasa and placing her in front of me gently, I dismounted and walked beside them. A tired and sweaty Tempest seemed to sigh gratefully at the lack of weight. Despite the hours of practice, he was still not in the best shape and had a long ways to go before he would be strong enough to bare more weight. I glanced back mournfully in the direction of Shiganshina, and of Levi, as I lead the horse in the direction of the crowd of refugees. 

 

"Eren! Mikasa" I heard a voice call out as a small blonde boy emerged from the crowd and jogged over.

 

Eren barely lifted his gaze towards the boy as I stopped Tempest, reminding me of the loss of Carla. With a sigh, I plastered a false smile on my face and helped the children down from the horse to hold them close against me.

 

"I'm so sorry," I said shakily, smile faltering as I kissed the top of each of their heads.

 

"Sky," Eren started, grabbing my arm in a tight grip like a lifeline.

 

I nodded at him to continue as his darkened green orbs met mine, all childish innocence gone.

 

"I will kill them all," he promised loudly, clenching his other fist tightly.

 

"Eren-"

 

"They will not get you, Mikasa, or Armin. I'll wipe every one of them off the face of this earth."

 

With that, he stalked off into the crowd and the sound of hooves from behind me nearly made me turn. Mikasa stared hopelessly after the boy before shaking her head and beginning to follow, Armin close behind.

 

"Take care of him," I murmured, only loud enough for the two of them to hear before turning to face the man behind me.

 

 

"Levi," I greeted, attempting to force a smile in the direction of the solemn corporal


	12. A Living Hell

The next year proved to mean absolute hell for the civilians who had been forced from their homes by the Titans. All those able to fight were soon sent out to be slaughtered due to the food shortage, and my food often ended up in the hands of Eren, Mikasa, or Eren who I kept a close watch on. Unfortunately, Armin's grandfather was among those sent to 'reclaim' the wall and he was the last surviving family member of any of the three children. That left me in the precarious position of visiting them nearly daily and bringing them most if not all of my meals. After Eren nearly passed out from exhaustion, my meals got smaller as I brought as much as I could to them. Fortunately they seemed to get stronger and healthier by the day. Despite my hope that my starvation would go unnoticed, there was a day that the corporal followed me to where the three were staying.

 

"Hey Skylar," Eren and Mikasa mumbled halfheartedly as I entered the small hut where a dozen other refugees also took shelter. 

 

Armin sat in the corner facing the wall, only turning to offer me a small hopeless smile as he clutched the hat his grandfather had given to him. The sight of the weary children nearly wiped the comforting smile off of my face, but I was able to keep up the facade.

 

"Hey guys. I brought something for you," I said, pulling a rather large loaf of bread from under my cloak.

 

"Thank you," Mikasa and Eren chorused as Armin shuffled over.

 

"Skylar," a cold voice drawled, stopping everyone in their tracks.

 

"Corporal," I responded curtly, my salute riddled with obvious exhaustion despite my best efforts.

 

My hand tremored against my will as the fatigue nearly made me dizzy while the children quietly munched on the bread, eyeing the corporal cautiously.

 

"What are you doing?" he questioned, gesturing at the trio.

 

"They need to eat. Let's talk outside," I said, silently begging him to not discuss this within earshot of the kids.

 

The raven haired man nodded stiffly and spun on his heel, leaving me to follow dejectedly.

 

"You are starving," he noted as I leaned on the wall for support, my facade gone.

 

"No shit," I groaned, shaking my head to fix my fading vision.

 

"You need to eat," he added.

 

"They need it more than me," I retorted, glancing back at the slightly ajar door.

 

The corporal merely stared at me for a moment before stepping closer, his gaze never leaving my own.

 

"I will speak to Erwin about bringing them some of the Survey Corps rations, instead of you starving yourself to keep those shits alive," he said finally, eyes averted to the wall behind my head.

 

My tired eyes widened in disbelief and I immediately swung my arms around his neck to embrace him tightly, despite my quivering arms.

 

"Thank you," I whispered into his ear as he stiffly snaked his arms around my waist.

 

"Tch," he responded, rubbing my back gently as a cool breeze chilled my frail body.

 

"Skylar," Eren called out, his voice harsh and angry as the brunette burst out of the hut, Mikasa standing watchfully behind him.

 

I released the corporal as the brunette stalked over, fury in his eyes which were close to being level with my own as he had grown much taller. Levi stood rigid beside me and stared down the angry preteen.

 

"You brought us your own rations?" he fumed, his fists tight as he stood directly before me.

 

"Hey kid, you should be thanking her instead of threatening her," Levi barked, seemingly unable to contain the corporal side of himself in that moment.

 

Eren took in a deep breath, making his body shudder slightly as his eyelids slid over his bright green orbs. We stood in silence for a moment before his eyes opened again, all anger gone and replaced with a twinge of sorrow. In an instant, the boy's arms were around me and I was trapped in his grasp which was now nearly stronger than my own.

 

"I'm sorry," he said quietly into my shoulder as we stood in the quickly cooling evening air.

 

"I know Eren. Let's go inside," I responded, taking in a deep breath as he released me. 

 

The corporal followed us inside as the two children led us back to Armin who was finishing the last of the bread.

 

"Hey Armin," I smiled at him, ruffling his hair gently.

 

"Hey Sky," he responded, his lips twitching as he attempted to return the smile.

 

Eren quietly took a seat against the wall and the other two quickly followed suit to his left. I shook off a wave of hopelessness as Eren shivered, having given most of his thicker protection to Armin and Mikasa. Sighing, I took a seat to the brunette's right and patted the spot next to me while looking expectantly at the corporal. 

 

Levi glared at the dusty floor but sat beside me anyways. I gave a grateful smile when he shifted closer to me, offering a portion of his body heat. Soon enough, Eren's head fell onto my shoulder and he began to mumble.

 

"Skylar, We're going to join the training regiment," he started, making me take a sharp breath as I waited for the rest of his statement as though I did not already know.

 

"And I am going to join the Survey Corps," he finished, nearly incoherent as he drifted off into a fitful sleep.

 

"Shit," I muttered under my breath, sure to hold back the inundation of tears that waited just behind my eyelids as I screwed my eyes shut.

 

Once my breathing slowed, I carefully allowed my eyes to open. The light of the torch now seemed harsh as it hit my stinging eyes. After a few minutes I shifted Eren's weight to rest him against the wall and looked over to Levi helplessly. The corporal stared unexpressively, his steely eyes boring into my own brown ones. With a nod, he stood up and brushed the dirt off of himself distastefully before pulling me onto my feet. After gaining my balance, I knelt beside Armin and placed a gentle kiss on his forehead and then Mikasa's before reaching a shivering Eren. Silently, I clawed at my cloak until it fell from my shoulders and placed it on him. Then I kissed the top of his head before shakily returning to my feet and turning towards Levi as he looked on, as though he was curious. 

 

After a moment of silent staring, we walked out silently. The Survey Corps insignia glared maliciously from Eren's makeshift blanket, as though taunting me as I left. Once outside, the cold air elicited a violent tremor from my body that had Levi by my side in an instant.

 

"Aw, you do care," I teased breathlessly as my body shook.

 

This resulted in a signature 'Tch' from the man before his arm pulled me flush against his side. The corporal wrapped the cloak around both of us as we headed back to the barracks in a comfortable silence. 


	13. The Cadets

As the months passed, I was able to somewhat recover from my state of near starvation and had begun to train with Levi in order to help my strength return We spent more time together than we had in years, and although the first few days were awkward it quickly faded into a more enjoyable atmosphere. Despite this, I was never able to forget the feeling of his lips against my own but never was able to bring it up for fear of being insulted. Even now as he stood across from me on the empty field we trained on, with a wooden dagger in his hand I was unable to speak of it. 

 

Unfortunately, he took notice of my distraction and had me pinned to the ground in an instant, the false dagger against my throat as he held me down.

 

"Pay attention," he drawled, his steely eyes holding me captive beneath him.

 

With a sigh, I stared back up at him tiredly but stayed silent. After a moment, a wicked idea crossed my mind and I leaned up slightly. Although the knife pressed roughly against the soft skin of my neck, I was determined and shot him a sickly sweet smile before pressing my lips against his. As soon as our lips met, the corporal relaxed into the kiss and softened which allowed me to flip us over quickly. I pinned his arm to the grass and watched as a look of shock ghosted over his features.

 

"I win," I smirked, snatching the knife from his hands before going to stand.

 

A hand on my back stopped me and pulled my body back against the corporal's.

 

"Why?" the corporal questioned, sounding almost upset.

 

I watched as his features slowly changed to display the vulnerability I had brought upon him and sighed, a slight twinge of guilt in my chest.

 

"I'm sorry Corporal," I said nervously.

 

My mind reeled as I contemplated the possible punishments that could be dealt to me for my actions, and the silence only increased my anxieties.

 

"Levi," he corrected quietly, staring up at me with what could have been hope.

 

I smiled and let myself relax into him, enjoying my body pillow while I could. With a slight giggle, I wrapped my arms partially around the corporal and hugged him before rolling off. Levi was on his feet nearly immediately, brushing off the back of his uniform distastefully before holding a hand out to me. I took it gratefully but let out a squeak when he pulled me to my feet so effortlessly that I nearly fell into him.

 

"Thank you," I said as he steadied me before releasing my hand.

 

After a moment of awkward silence, I decided to speak again.

 

"I'm going to visit Eren and Mikasa. I want to see how far they've come in their training and find out if Eren is still determined to join the Survey Corps. Would you like to come?"

 

The corporal stared at me blankly but gave a curt nod as I whistled for Tempest who arrived at my side quickly. He was kept in a small pasture now with a few other horses but he was able to leap the fence at his leisure. I pulled an apple out of my pocket which me munched on greedily as I went to jump on only to feel two hands on my waist. I glanced back at Levi and could have sworn he was smirking. With a shrug, I allowed him to hoist and practically throw me onto the horse.

 

Levi quickly leapt up behind me and snaked his arms around my waist just in time as Tempest set off in a lazy lope. No words were spoken between us as we traveled, but I felt oddly comfortable in his arms. When we reached the facility in which the cadets were trained, Levi hopped down first and waited for me as I followed suit before leaving my horse to graze.

 

"You're strangely quiet today Levi, did I render you speechless," I teased as we walked towards the practice poles for maneuver gear where Eren and a few other cadets were being hooked up.

 

"Tch," Levi responded, a slight blush rising to his cheeks when I glanced over at him and nudged his shoulder playfully.

 

The sound of cheers brought my attention to Eren who had managed to balance himself nearly perfectly. Unfortunately I saw his balance fail long before he did and covered my eyes as his body swung downwards. I narrowed my eyes as I replayed the scene in my head, realizing that nothing had been wrong with the way Eren had been balancing and the gear had thrown him off.

 

"Hey, give him your gear," I suggested to Mikasa who jumped as I had approached unannounced.

 

"Idiot," I heard someone say as Eren once again attempted to balance himself.

 

My eyes immediately shot towards the owner of the voice as Mikasa went up and traded gear with Eren after a quick discussion with Shadis. Soon my gaze fell upon a sandy haired boy who's face was slightly elongated, bearing slight resemblances to that of a horse.

 

"Hey horseface, watch it," I said monotonously, making his eyes and those of all surrounding cadets meet my own.

 

"Who are you," he asked, stalking over.

 

Levi was in front of me before the boy could get close.

 

"Your superior, brat."

 

"You need your boyfriend to protect you?" the boy laughed, still staring directly at me.

 

"Hey Levi, still have that wooden knife?" I asked, stepping to the side so that the boy and I were face to face.

 

The corporal slid the piece of wood into my hand and I beckoned the boy forward with a 'come here' motion as Shadis came forward.

 

"Skylar, there is no need-"

 

"Well obviously this one isn't well disciplined. After all he was quite rude to Humanities' Strongest over there so I would gladly teach him a lesson."

 

"Skylar he's actually pretty good," Eren warned from beside Shadis.

 

"Doubting me so soon dear?" I laughed, waving at him cheerfully as the cadets separated, giving us empty space.

 

"Well corporal," I called over my shoulder, "You don't suppose I'll get in trouble for kicking this kid's ass right?"

 

"Not a chance," he responded, arms crossed as he watched.

 

Although he looked bored, the corporal's eyes betrayed him as they held a spark of amusement.

 

"I'm guessing you know how to do this. What's your name?" I questioned.

 

"Jean, let's get this over with shall we?" 

 

"Arrogant," I noted "Come at me any time."

 

I did not even have to ready myself as the boy's stance warned me of his first move. He sent a punch for my head but it was quite slow in comparison to Levi's so I leaned sideways slightly and caught his fist before flipping him onto his back easily, my feet never leaving their original position. A few gasps were heard, eliciting a scoff from Levi. I threw the knife at the corporal who snatched it out of the air effortlessly.

 

"Alright. Now Eren, try again," I said, clapping my hands twice before returning to Levi's side which left Jean to slink away defeatedly.

 

"Perhaps he learned a bit of humility," the corporal told me, a slight smile actually making its way onto his face.

 

"Your smile is adorable," I observed before turning my attention to Eren who was now balanced easily with his 3DMG.

 

"Good job Eren. You should go get your gear fixed, although it was impressive that you ever managed to balance on it," I said, strolling up to him with Levi following behind me.

 

"Thanks Skylar, and thank you for beating Jean's ass. That was great!" he laughed.

 

"He giving you trouble?" I asked curiously as Eren's feet once again reached the ground

 

"Not anymore," Levi grunted, making me break into a fit of laughter. 

 

Once again, a smile crept its way onto the corporal's face. I winked at him playfully before turning to embrace Eren who had managed to unattach his gear from the cords and was now standing beside us. My grin only grew as Mikasa came up, Armin at her side. I released a reluctant Eren to turn and hug the two other teenagers tightly.

 

"We missed you," Mikasa informed.

 

"I missed you guys too," I replied, releasing them and stepping back to glance over the three of them.

 

"Damn you guys have grown," I noticed, eyeing them skeptically as I realized that they were nearly adults.

 

"Damn, I'm old," I added, making the three laugh as I pretended to look horrified at the thought.

 

"Not yet," Eren joked, poking at me playfully.

 

I shot him a mock glare in response before staring at his hand as though perturbed.

 

"Do it again," I dared, staring into his green eyes with mock anger.

 

"Eren," Mikasa warned as he laughed and went to poke me again only to end up laying in the grass, although I had dropped him much lighter than I had Jean.

 

Despite her warning, Mikasa laughed alongside Eren and Armin at the sight.

 

"As fun as this is, I think you guys have training to do and I do believe we have to pretend to be on some professional business," I said, ruffling Eren's brown hair as he returned to his feet laughing. 

 

"Cadets," Shadis called, proving my point.

 

"Goodbye," the three chorused before scurrying off to join their fellow cadets.

 

Once again I found myself at Levi's side and watched on as Shadis ordered the cadets to pair off, each pair getting handed a false knife like the one I had used.

 

"Hey Levi," I said, nudging him gently before pointing over at Mikasa who already had her opponent on the ground.

 

"Tch. We should show them what a real training duel looks like," he responded, causing a devious grin to make its way onto my face.

 

"But Leviiii, I can't use my prior methods in front of a bunch of children," I whined, making him glare at me although it was obviously fake.

 

"Exactly."

 

"But how else do I win?" 

 

"Well I'd hope you don't go around kissing anyone you duel with. There are other ways to win," Levi said darkly

 

"I mean against you. Besides you're the only one I would use that method on. Perhaps you should not get distracted next time," I teased, grabbing the knife from his pocket and placing it into his hand.


	14. Grooming and Gazing

After our demonstration, Levi and I observed the cadets for a while longer before returning to the Survey Corps headquarters where we went our separate ways for the night. I chose to stay with Tempest and groom him for a while instead of joining the others at dinner. While most were asleep I was taking my time brushing through Tempest's thick fur, determined to get as much of the excess dust off of him as possible. As we stood in the pasture together the equine dutifully stayed in place as he grazed, enjoying the pampering he was receiving. 

 

"What have you been getting into?" I huffed, spotting a bur deeply entangled in his mane.

 

Tempest eyed me curiously as I sat in the grass in order to easily reach his mane as he grazed. After bracing my fingers for the grueling task ahead, I began to carefully untangle the long strands of mane by hand. When I finally reached the bur, I was awarded with a sharp prick in the finger as I grabbed it. 

 

"Damn," I hissed, adjusting my grip before pulling the mane out of the infuriating plant until only a few strands still connected it.

 

With one quick tug the bur was out of his mane and in my hand, staring mercilessly. 

 

"Damn plant," I huffed, throwing the seed as far away as possible before using a brush to comb through the rest of the horse's mane.

 

Afterwards, I knelt down with a small metal hoof pick in hand and dislodged the hardened dirt and rocks from the underside of his hooves. He snorted uncomfortably as he attempted to graze and balance at the same time, but this was necessary to keep him sound.

 

When I was finished, I stood and used my hands to admire my handiwork. Although it was too dark to see, the soft texture of Tempest's mane and fur was evidence enough that I had made a prominent improvement to the state of the horse. Soon, his soft muzzle came to nudge my hand in curiosity before coming to rest on my shoulder lazily. The whiskers tickled my face slightly as his breathing slowed, signalling that he was close to sleep.

 

"Goodnight," I smiled, stroking the top of the stallion's nose caringly before grabbing my grooming supplies into a bucket and exiting the pasture.

 

After placing the bucket down inside of Tempest's previous stall, I headed back to my room to grab clothes before going to the showers. Fortunately, there would be no one there at these hours making it the safest time for a woman to bathe. At least, that was usually true, but tonight the candles were still lit. Cautiously, I peered my head around the corner and into the room to see a rather breathtaking sight. 

Levi was the one occupying the usually empty bathing room, and he was already in the process. In other words, the corporal was standing stark naked in the shower with the hot water rolling over his skin. Scars on his back from the Underground and permanent indents where our gear usually sat were accentuated by the liquid. Only when my gaze began to move downward was I able to avert my eyes and leap backwards, my heart pounding.

 

"Skylar?" Levi asked, for once sounding surprised.

 

"I thought it would be empty," I stammered, my eyes glued to the floor.

 

"Tch," he responded, sounding extremely close to me but it may have been the sound bouncing off of the walls of the room.

 

My theory was proven wrong when a hand lifted up my chin, forcing my eyes to meet those of Levi who had loosely wrapped a white towel around his waist.

 

"Sorry," I said calmly, struggling to keep my gaze from exploring the corporal's muscled chest.

 

"Damn," I muttered absentmindedly as I lost the battle, allowing my eyes to wander over his slim yet toned body.

 

The awkward clearing of Levi's throat snapped my gaze back up to his pink tinted face. Even the tips of his ears were a slight pink. 

 

"I apologize corporal, but you are quite attractive," I flirted, taking a step forward and analyzing his reaction before going any further.

 

I watched a look of surprise pass over Levi's face before it was replaced with something indiscernible and he closed the gap between our bodies. He let out a nearly inaudible gasp when one of my hands found its way into his wet hair and the other slid slowly down his chest. After a moment, I massaged his scalp carefully, tugging gently every so often as he relaxed into my touch. The corporal's arms quickly laced around my waist and tugged my body against his own, biting his lip when we made contact before pressing our lips together gently.

 

"I still need to shower," I informed, pulling away teasingly before turning to leave.

 

As I walked, I made sure to exaggerate the movement of my hips.

 

"Let me know when you're done," I called over my shoulder, only for his cold voice to stop me in my tracks.

 

"Stay. Save some water."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/n: Smut? Implied smut? No smut? Smut in a different work that readers can go to if they would like to read it? Let me know what you guys are interested in reading :) If I do choose to add smut, there will be a warning at the beginning of the chapter


	15. Shower (SMUT)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: SMUT

"Stay. Save some water."

 

Though I normally would have known better than to sleep with my commander, the raven haired man's offer was nearly irresistible after I had gazed upon his half naked body and the way water rolled over it. His piercing eyes nearly made me squirm under their gaze, but simultaneously caused heat to pool at my core. 

 

"Alright," I responded finally. 

 

The corporal watched scrutinously as I slowly peeled my shirt off of my body, his gaze seeming to darken with lust. After my teasing display, I quickly removed my pants before glancing back up at Levi. He was still watching me intently, and his nearly predatory gaze made me force back a gulp as I unclipped my plain bra before slipping off my underwear. Once I was naked before him, I sauntered past him and into the bathing area to turn on the hot water. 

 

I felt Levi's eyes bore into the back of my head as I stepped into the water, allowing the steaming water to cleanse my skin of the oils that had accumulated on it over the course of the day.

 

"You coming?" I teased, my confidence dangerously high as I turned to see the corporal red-faced with his member obviously awakened beneath the towel. 

 

The towel dropped the floor and Levi was beside me before I could admire the rest of his body. The man froze as I fully turned towards him and lessened the distance between us. His eyes flicked between my eyes and my lips questioningly, as though asking permission.

 

"You're only feeling shy now? Of all times," I giggled at him, lightening the tense mood around us.

 

A small smile reached the corporal's lips before a dangerous glint flashed in his eyes and his mouth was on mine. His mouth worked against mine slowly at first as we carefully explored each others' bodies with our hands. His hand traced circles on my back as I slowly dragged one of my own over his toned chest. When Levi's tongue grazed my bottom lip, I opened my mouth slightly without any protest. Once he had seemed to make himself at home, exploring my mouth with his tongue leisurely, I trailed my hand all the way down to his member and squeezed. 

 

The small gasp that escaped his lips allowed me to slip my tongue between them skillfully and have my own feeling of dominance over the corporal. Carefully, I tugged at his member gently before moving my hand along it at a slow pace. Levi let out a low groan of pleasure before trailing his own hands over my body and grabbing gently at one breast. His other hand slowly trailed down to my core, causing me to go rigid. This caused him to cease his movements and part from me cautiously.

 

"Do you want this?" he asked, his voice an octave lower than usual as he seemed to have a mental war with himself.

 

"Of course, it's just been a long time so I froze up a bit. Please continue," I informed, sure to add a slight begging tone to the end in order to reinforce my words.

 

Immediately, the corporal's body was against my own once more. His hand returned to my breast as he kissed me. A gentle flick of his thumb across the sensitive nub made me let out a quiet moan into his mouth which seemed to give him even more confidence. He parted our mouths to watch my reaction as he slid his free hand between us to gently rub against my core.

 

"Fuck you're already so wet," he groaned.

 

"Well we are in a shower," I teased, making him roll his eyes.

 

My sarcastic comment earned me a more vigorous grab at my breast and his finger sliding into me. He returned his mouth to my own to swallow my moan as he pumped into me slowly, but it quickly relocated to my breast where his tongue circled my nipple just as his thumb circled my clitoris. I felt weightless as he added a finger to my core while simultaneously rubbing my clit gently.

 

"Faster," I gasped when he slowly added yet another finger.

 

His movements stopped and the water was turned off, leaving me cold and wet in more ways than one. 

 

"It's bad lubricant," he explained, still not moving his fingers and instead watching in slight amusement as I attempted to move myself against his hand.

 

Just as his middle finger brushed against the most pleasurable spot inside of me, he removed his fingers and stared at my flushed body.

 

"Levi," I groaned.

 

"Hmm?" he questioned, pumping his member to the sight of my body.

 

"Please," I whispered, making his eyes flash dangerously.

 

Quickly, Levi's member was brushing against my entrance. We let out a breathy moan in unison as I rubbed against him pleadingly, making him grip my waist and lift me into the air. His cock pulsed against my dripping entrance as he held my just above it, pushing my back against the cold wall. Before any words could be spoken, I pushed myself down against his grip and fully sheathed him inside of me. The pain lasted for longer than I expected, as his member was unexpectedly large even if he had been a man twice his size. 

 

"Damn, you took that so well," he breathed, unable to control his body enough to keep from snapping his hips and thrusting into me once.

 

"Go ahead," I moaned, bracing myself against him as he held me off of the ground easily.

 

After gaining the knowledge that the pain had stopped, Levi began thrusting into me slowly. Every thrust seemed to be calculated as though he was searching for something. His movements stayed at the torturously slow pace until the head of his member rubbed against my g spot, eliciting a long moan from my lips. The corporal then sped up his movements and bounced me up and down against him with the grip on my waist, allowing him to hit the same pleasurable spot with every thrust. It was not long before I became a mumbling mess against him as he reached down to rub my clit as he pounded into me, all thoughts of precision gone as we both approached our climax. 

 

Levi ensured I reached mine before he did and groaned as I pulsed against his cock, nearly causing him to cum inside me. He continued to thrust mercilessly, prolonging my orgasm until he could not withhold his own. I moaned as he slid out of me and came against my stomach, reaching down between us to pump his cock a few times as he did so. 

 

Finally, he allowed my shaky legs to return to the cold floor. The corporal steadied himself against the wall before gesturing to the shower head. I shook my head playfully and sucked some of his cum off of my index finger teasingly, making his eyes darken once again.

 

"You little minx," he said in disbelief, stalking towards me like a predator would its prey.

 

Needless to say, it was a long night.


	16. The Ride

With the destruction of Wall Maria, there had been a lack of expeditions as well as of rations among the Corps. Levi and I spent more time together than before but had never discussed our relationship so even now we were not technically a couple. A few newer soldiers were now part of the corporal's squad as well as I, along with an older man named Oluo. To my slight dismay, the young strawberry blonde girl seemed to have a particularly strong interest in Levi.

 

On a particularly sunny day, I chose to take Tempest for a short ride to test some of his abilities before checking up on Eren and his friends. Tomorrow the Corps was to head out on yet another expedition so I was determined to see the kids before our departure. Soon the time for the 104th trainees to choose the branch of military they would join, and I could only hope Mikasa would talk Eren out of joining the Survey Corps. 

 

When I reached the stables, Tempest picked his head up to stare at me lazily from his small pen. Due to the sudden loss of land to the titans, the pastures were extremely reduced in size to Tempest's displeasure. As soon as my hands managed to pry open the pen gate, the stallion came trotting out with a loud snort. A small smile graced my lips when his velvety nose brushed against my shoulder. 

 

Feeling too tired to grab my tack, I settled for only a bridle which the horse put his head into eagerly. Once the animal's hooves and body were cleaned thoroughly, I used the fence of the pasture to jump onto his back. As soon as I was settled, my gaze settled on a particularly short raven haired man who was leaning against the stable wall with his signature bored expression plastered on his face.

 

"Corporal," I greeted respectfully.

 

"What are you doing?" he questioned.

 

"Going for a ride. Care to join me?" I offered hopefully.

 

The corporal pushed himself off of the wall and gave a sharp nod, signalling for me to wait. He disappeared for only a moment before returning with his own black mare. I watched quietly as Levi groomed his mount in silence as she grazed before I spoke up.

 

"Should I grab your tack?" I asked quietly.

 

The ravenette nodded, so I swung off of Tempest who followed close behind as I picked up a bridle, saddle, and pad from the stables. The horse trailed after me obediently, nosing the tack every once in a while as I brought it over to Levi.

 

"Thanks," he mumbled, barely audible. 

 

I froze for a moment, nearly dropping the tack at the unexpected kindness. A low grunt from the corporal brought me back into reality with a grin on my face. I carefully threw the pad and saddle onto the sturdy mare.

 

"You're welcome," I replied once the girth of the saddle was secured.

 

When Levi slipped the bridle onto the mare's head, I leaned towards him to plant a soft kiss cheek teasingly. He raised an eyebrow questioningly, a slight blush finding its way onto the tips of his ears.

 

"You're adorable," I teased, placing a hand on my hip.

 

My smugness was quickly diminished when the corporal tugged me towards him by the front of my shirt, sending me crashing into his firm chest as he pressed his lips against mine roughly. The kiss left me breathless, leaving the raven haired man to smirk when we parted. I shook my head slowly in disbelief before turning away to swing onto Tempest once again. 

 

Levi pulled himself onto his mount, landing lightly in the saddle just as I set off at a quick walk in the direction of the tree filled training area. Tempest continuously attempted to race off into the forest with me every few steps, but I kept him under control until we reached the treeline. After glancing back towards Levi and stretching my back in preparation, I allowed my mount to pick up a trot. The trot started out insanely uncomfortable, forcing me to balance precariously until he reached the fast paced but entirely smooth gait. 

 

Levi's horse cantered behind us, unable to trot at the same pace but still able to keep up fairly easily. The wind blew my hair around my head wildly, and a tall log a few meters ahead became increasingly tempting. Although there was a path beside it, I directed Tempest towards the fallen tree and nudged him into a canter in order to make the jump easier. I forced my body to relax as we approached, and allowed my hips to swing with the motion of the horse. His ears flicked back in uncertainty, but a reassuring pat on the neck from me kept him on course. As his front legs left the safety of the forest floor, I leaned forward so that my upper body was parallel to his own, my legs still in place on his sides and put my hands forward with the reins to keep from putting pressure on his head over the log.   
For a moment the two of us were weightless, soaring over the obstacle with ease. Tempest's long front legs reached forwards for the ground as we landed, and the horse was able to keep his balance as I returned to my normal riding position. Levi took the path around the log, which was the better choice seeing as the front of his saddle would likely end up in his stomach due to its shape. It was not long before I slowed to a walk, trying to avoid making Tempest sore when I needed him to be in prime condition for the expedition tomorrow. Soon after, the corporal caught up and was at my side. After weaving through the trees for a few minutes, we walked into a small clearing and dismounted.

 

Although he glared at the dirt distastefully, the corporal eventually sat beside me in the grass while our mounts grazed lazily. We leaned back against a tree for support as I rested my head on his shoulder to look up at the clear sky. His expression softened as we relaxed, and it only took him a moment to take my hand into his own. He never made eye contact, but the corners of his lips upturned slightly as I intertwined our fingers carefully.

 

"I'm going to visit Mikasa and Eren again," I said finally, breaking the silence.

 

Levi nodded slowly in response before bringing his gaze to meet mine.

 

"You'll survive tomorrow," he reassured lowly.

 

I sighed sadly and gave his hand a gentle squeeze before standing.

 

"I hope I can convince Eren of that, as naive of a statement as that is," I muttered, stroking Tempest's nose as he came up beside me.

 

Suddenly I was back against the corporal's chest with his strong arms wrapped around my body, holding me flush against him. 

 

"You'll live," he stated, his eyes glinting dangerously in the otherwise calming afternoon light.

 

"No one's indestructible Levi. Even if I survive this expedition, what about the next? There will always be more titans and it's only a matter of time before I don't manage to get out alive."

 

A moment of silence passed with the corporal's grip becoming increasingly tighter and his heart pounding so hard that I could feel it from the way we were positioned.

 

"But," I breathed, rubbing small circles onto his back, "I'll do my best."


	17. Visiting

My heart lurched in my chest as Levi and I rode up to the training corps barracks where the cadets were practicing once again, the watchful gaze of Shadis looming over them. My body moved almost robotically towards the instructor, struggling to keep a grimace from crossing my features as I was reminded that this could be the last visit I would have with the cadets. Once beside Shadis, I gave him a curt nod and gestured to Eren, Mikasa, and Armin who were not yet aware of my presence.

 

"May I borrow them for a while?" I asked quietly, a soft smile gracing my lips.

 

The man tilted his head curiously, but nodded as Levi approached to stand beside me. Once the permission had been explicitly given I walked over to the three cadets, my head held high and gaze locked on them.

 

"Cadets," Levi barked, catching the attention of everyone on the field.

 

Eren's eyes immediately locked with mine as the corporal waved off the attention of the others and ordered them to return to what they had been doing. The three cadets in question stood obediently still as I approached, their faces nearly glowing with suppressed excitement which was unusual to see in Mikasa.

 

"Hey guys," I greeted, stopping in my tracks as the three of them saluted in unison.

 

For a moment the teenagers in front of me were replaced by their younger counterparts and I could only see them the way they used to be: innocent and naive. Levi's hand on my shoulder shook me from my daze, returning me to the present. Once my head was clear, I smiled at the cadets before spreading my arms invitingly. 

 

Almost instantly, Eren's strong arms were wrapped around me. The brunette was soon followed by Armin and Mikasa who joined in, creating a suffocating group hug that caused Levi to scoff. It took all of my self control to remain calm as the thoughts of tomorrow's expedition plagued me.

 

"What are you doing here? More Survey Corps business?" Eren questioned after we separated.

 

"Just wanted to see you guys, since it's been a while," I corrected, reaching up to ruffle his hair playfully and laughing as I realized that he had grown far taller than me.

 

"When's the next expedition?" he asked cheerfully, his eyes still gleaming.

 

"Tomorrow," I said quietly.

 

The merriment was drained from the cadets nearly instantly as they averted their gazes to the grassy ground. 

 

"I wish I could go with you," Eren sighed, causing my entire body to go rigid as my mind formed horrific images of the young boy in the grasp of a titan.

 

"Soon we'll be choosing our branches, so I'll be there next time to look after you," he stated, determination dripping from his tone.

 

"Eren-" I started, glancing at Mikasa and Armin pleadingly only for them to shake their heads mournfully as though they had already tried to change his mind on the subject.

 

"But for now," Eren continued, turning his gaze to Levi and straightening his posture so that he nearly towered over the still nonchalant corporal.

 

The ravenette merely crossed his arms and stared Eren down despite his height.

 

"You're Humanities' Strongest. Take care of her," the boy commanded, causing the rest of us to tense in anticipation at his blatant rudeness towards his commander.

 

"Tch."

 

I let out a sharp gasp as Eren grabbed the front of the corporal's shirt, clenching it in his grasp.

 

"Eren!" I warned, just as Levi flipped him onto the ground mercilessly.

 

"I plan to," Levi stated coldly, returning to his previous stance but staring down at the boy who lay dazed in the grass.

 

Mikasa nearly lunged for the corporal, only to be held in place by a warning glare from me.

 

"I'll be fine. There's no need for either of you to 'take care of me' and there is no excuse for you to disrespect your superior," I scolded, reaching out to pull Eren onto his feet.

 

"If she doesn't make it back, I'll kill you," Eren hissed, stepping towards Levi once again but stopping as I stood between them and placed a hand against his chest.

 

"You wont have to," the corporal drawled, "If she doesn't make it back safely it will be because I'm dead."

 

Eren took in a shaky breath to regain his composure before taking a step back and saluting the corporal respectfully.

 

"Apologies, Corporal. Thank you," he said calmly, eliciting a sharp nod from the man in question.

 

I smiled quietly as Levi glanced at me with an eyebrow raised in slight amusement at the boy's actions. The silent message did not go unnoticed, and the realization caused the three cadets to relax considerably. 

 

"Alright, you guys need to get back to training. Can't have the other cadets whining about you getting time off," I smiled, pulling the three into a warm embrace and squeezing gently.

 

"Visit as soon as you get back," Eren ordered, his voice muffled.

 

"As if you won't see me," I teased, "I know you still wait in the streets when you hear of our return."

 

He grinned sheepishly as I retreated from the cadets' grasp to shoot them all a reassuring smile.

 

"Get back to work before I have you spar with Levi," I laughed, shooing them all away before hooking my arm in the crook of the corporal's elbow.

 

We watched in comfortable silence and walked over to Tempest as the cadets returned to their previous duties. The cheerful smile fell from my face as soon as we were out of sight behind a building, and it did not go unnoticed by the corporal who quickly grabbed my arm.

 

"Thank you," I said gratefully, turning to face him as he raised an eyebrow in question.

 

"You were nicer than usual, and you didn't break his arm. So, thank you Levi," I repeated, planting a kiss on his cheek before turning back to Tempest.

 

"Oi," the corporal called, spinning me around by my arm.

 

"What?" I questioned.

 

"You missed," he mumbled, his eyes boring into mine.

 

"I don't think I did," I teased.

 

The smirk was wiped from my face nearly immediately as I was pinned against the cold wall of the building, the corporal's lips dangerously close to my own. With a shrug, I closed the distance between us and gave him a short kiss. 

 

"Ewwww."

 

A loud shout from a few yards away caught my attention, but the corporal still held me in place as I realized the shout had come from Eren who had turned the corner.

 

"I knew it!" he shouted, pumping a fist into the air.

 

"You followed us?" I chuckled.

 

"You were behind here for awfully long and its almost break. Figured you wouldn't want some random cadet walking into this," he explained, gesturing at the two of us.

 

"Go away, brat," Levi warned, his gaze never leaving my own.

 

"Or what?" Eren sassed.

 

The corporal flipped him off before pressing our lips together once more, making it impossible to keep from smiling into the kiss as the cadet pretended to gag and left. Once he was gone, I carefully parted from Levi and slid from his grasp with a smirk.

 

"Do you mind if I stay in your room tonight? We both need to get some sleep before tomorrow and I know you'll stay up all night doing paperwork if I don't stop you."


	18. Ride of a Lifetime

My heart sank with dread the moment my body left the mattress to meet the cool, unforgiving air. The chills that ran down my spine were fueled further by the thought of today's expedition, but a hand on my back allowed a sense of security to return to my erratic mind and put my body at ease if only for a moment.

 

"Good morning Levi," I said gently, keeping the fear out of my tone as best as I could.

 

"Morning," he responded gruffly, retracting his hand in order to push himself into a sitting position.

 

The previous night had been uneventful, as the the tension was much too strong for us to want to do anything except enjoy each other's presence in silence. Sleep was fleeting, but my nerves were enough to keep me alert and on edge despite the lack of rest my body suffered from. With a sigh, I turned and planted a kiss on the corporal's cheek before heading to the small side office to change into the uniform and gear I had brought with me the night before. My hands shook lightly as they fastened the multitude of intricate leather straps, nearly missing a few in the process. 

 

"I'm going to get Tempest ready," I called as I walked through the corporal's room towards the door.

 

"We don't leave for over an hour," he responded, crossing his arms over his chest with slightly downturned lips.

 

"Exactly. I need Tempest in the best condition possible. Besides it's relaxing," I added quietly.

 

Levi stepped in front of me before I could reach the door, a stern expression etched into his face.

 

"You'll live," he stated curtly, staring me down as though challenging me to protest.

 

"Levi, if I don't then it's not your fault. Don't be looking out for me out there if it could cost you, you're the one humanity needs," I replied steadily before moving around the raven haired man to the door.

 

"You will live," he muttered under his breath as I pushed through the door, nearly stopping me in my tracks.

 

I shook my head to dissipate the urge to argue, and instead continued on towards Erwin's office where I knew he would be preparing. The halls were eerily empty, allowing my footsteps to echo as my legs merely carried me to my destination. The wooden door seemed almost menacing as the realization of the effect my plan would have fully hit me. With another shake of my head, I rapped my fist against the door twice and listened for a response.

 

"Name?" Erwin's deep voice called out from the other side.

 

"It's Skylar. May I come in sir?"

 

"Come in."

 

My heart thudded against my chest as it tried to convince my mind to abandon my plan, but I could not allow Levi to risk himself for my sake. The words left my mouth as soon as I came to face the commander.

 

"Is it possible to change my position for this expedition for the time being?" 

 

Silence draped over us as Erwin's tired eyes widened in surprise at my request.

 

"We are going through the cities the titans have already overrun. Why is it that you'd prefer to not be with the group you have trained with on such a dangerous operation?" he questioned, trying to keep up appearances even as his shoulders slumped in obvious exhaustion.

 

"A change of scenery?" I joked lightly.

 

"Is it Levi?" 

 

"Not specifically. I feel that if I am with a group with whom I have built connections with, they may do something rash for my sake and that is something I wish to avoid," I replied carefully.

 

The commander ran a hand over his face thoughtfully before shaking his head.

 

"I can change your position only until we reach the outer wall. I cannot make any last minute changes to the formation once we are beyond it," he said finally.

 

I nodded my head in thanks before letting out the sigh I had been holding in a small puff of air. 

"You will stay with me until it's time for you to rejoin your squad. It's the only way to avoid altering the plan too much," he decided finally.

 

"Thank you," I said monotonously before turning on my heel to head to the stables, grabbing my tack and grooming supplies on the way to Tempest's pen.

 

The stallion's head was already sticking over the gate when I reached it, and he nickered quietly in greeting. A grin soon spread across my face as the painted beast paced around in excitement. With a huff, I unlocked the gate and flung it open to enter the pasture with the brush and hoof pick. The saddle and the rest of my tack balanced precariously on the fence, swaying in the morning breeze that only began to weaken as the sun rose in the sky.

 

I had finished brushing and had moved on to cleaning Tempest's hooves by the time other soldiers began to arrive and prepare their mounts. My breath caught in my throat when I saw a pair of all too familiar steely eyes cut into me from the other side of the field where their owner prepared his own horse for the journey. Soon enough, the entirety of the corps was mounted and lined up at the gate that held us prisoner behind the great wall. I listened as Erwin spouted yet another speech before signalling for us to set off into the open world. For the first few strides, I remained beside Levi and Petra however; once the group began to separate at the sight of yet another small town I split off to meet with Erwin, deaf to the corporal's indignant protests. 

 

The raven haired man followed for a moment before he noticed my position in relation to the commander and realized what had happened. A dangerous look was shot in my direction, and the anger from it was noticed even by Tempest who sidestepped momentarily in discomfort under the intense gaze of the corporal. 

 

"Well, there may be hell to pay for this," Erwin sighed as I forced myself to relax into the uncomfortable trot or Tempest until he broke into his normal gait.

 

"I don't have to worry about that until we reach the next wall," I replied, trying to reassure myself as Levi and his squad rode out of sight.

 

The corps separated even further as we rode through the narrow streets of what was once an inhabited town. Tempest was beginning to pick up a relatively fast canter after nearly an hour when he suddenly let out a distressed whinny and stopped entirely. The sudden motion nearly sent me flying forward over the horse's head, but I was able to catch myself on his neck as he lifted his head up nervously. I carefully slid back into the saddle just as an abnormal titan snaked out from a side street and caught the soldier who had ridden up in my place, taking him into his jaws and nearly cutting him in two instantly. 

 

"Erwin!" I shouted, urging Tempest forward with a plea only for a few strides before leaping into action with my maneuver gear. 

 

My blades were already in my hands by the time my grapples reached the first building, and within seconds the titan was dead in a heap of steam and flesh. When I looked up from my victim I noticed Tempest dutifully standing beside the corpse, however tentative and fearful he was. My legs carried me to him in record time as adrenaline coursed through my body. By the time I had returned to my mount, nearly half a dozen titan bodies littered the street and Erwin turned back around to join me.

 

"We have to go back. We go to Levi's squad first, fire the flares, and the rest will follow. The titans are heading towards the wall."

 

My heart dropped as I realized that it would likely be the group of cadets who would be on the frontlines if another wall was broken, as they were the most determined and the most expendable in the eyes of the military. My legs felt like lead as I rushed back in the direction we came, doing my best to stay in the commander's view. Before we reached the next street, I slowed to allow Erwin to pass and lead the way despite my anticipation. Our horses trotted down the road at an excruciating slow pace, and Tempest's hooves seemed to collide with the ground at the same pace as my racing heartbeat. 

 

By the time we reached Levi, he was standing beside the body of a fallen soldier with Petra and my heart was nearly pounding out of my chest. It only slowed when Levi turned to face us after Erwin called out for his attention. The stress returned when his eyes hardened at the sight of me, but I shook it off as he shot Erwin a curt nod before whistling for his horse. Once everyone was situated, Petra fired a flare in the direction of home and we took off.

 

"Commander! Can I go ahead?" I shouted over my shoulder, struggling to hold Tempest back as I would much prefer to be back as quickly as possible.

 

Erwin paused for a moment, and the world around us seemed to slow down as I waited for a response. Levi cut in before the blonde could utter a word.

 

"I'll go with her," he stated monotonously.

 

The commander nodded almost immediately and waved us off. I released the pressure on Tempest's bridle, allowing him to lengthen his stride and bolt down the road with the corporal close behind.


End file.
